Tesco or Tescos

[EvianBaby]

My dad, who is very particular about the correct use of the english language thinks that 'I went to Tescos' is fine.

I disagree, there should be no S.

Who is correct?

[Answerprancer]

I like the pronunciation "Tescoss" as if it's an exotic Greek Island.

Logically speaking "Tesco's" would imply possession by a single person (ie. 'belonging to Tesco') since this is a faceless corporate, I would agree with you despite the fact that it ends up sounding like a country.
I suspect that what your Dad says is a leftover from a bygone era when shops were single outlets owned by one person or a family, so the possessive would make sense.
If I'm right EB, I would let the whole thing go and put it down to 'the olden days'. Go to the corner shop instead.

[BilSuth]

Tesco's is an verbal abbreviation for Tesco's store. We use a lot of shorthand in speech, and other people do also, often in a way which maybe irritates us because it's not exactly what we tend to say. As a journalist I often hear arguments from grammatical purists but I prefer to shrug it off and protect my blood pressure. It's all about communication and if you know what the person means, they have succeeded.

[chi-chi66]

well, I call M & S..Markle Sparkle......

[sir.prize]

The company name was derived when the owner Albert Cohen added to first two letters of his surname to the initials of one of his dealers, T. E. Stockwell. The company has never been known officially as Tescos.

[Bert]

It's a bit late, I know, but I'm sure that heathfield was wrong in saying that the apostrophe (indicating possession) stands for 'his' or 'its'. I believe that it indicated (originally) an omitted 'e' from the German genitive case which generally adds -es to a noun.
I agree with those who say Tesco's is a shortened version of Tesco's store. Just as you would say "I'm going to the butcher's", or "I'm going to the greengrocer's", you say, "I'm going to Tesco's." It's a bit odd that we don't say, "I'm going to Asda's"

[Old_Geezer]

I suspect those you think are saying "Tescos" are really saying "Tesco's", i.e that shop that belongs to Tesco the company. Or "I went to Tesco's <shop>". But yes, I think the additional 's is unnecessary.

[Old_Geezer]

Ah but when I get to the last page I see this has already been discussed somewhere along the way.

[punkrock101]

Lots of people call or have called a non-plural supermarket name as a plural - eg. Asda's, Tesco's, formerly Safeway's...

I try to avoid calling a singular-name supermarket as a plural unless it is in the context of branding - eg. Tesco's own, Asda's own brand etc

[Sheenamf]

Sainsbury's is the name anyway, also never heard of anyone saying Waitroses,

[murraymints]

no s ..Tesco

[leipensa]

Your father is correct.
Tesco is the name of the store so it would be the same as saying, "I went to Peter's".

[woofgang]

wow, are we all bored today?